Gary Byrd's guide to Black events, Sept. 12-18, 2013

Greetings! Our GBE African Re-education Month/National Preparedness Month 2013 is sounding the call for the second annual Global Citizen Festival, an event intended to raise awareness of global poverty and education, returning to Central Park on Sept. 28, with Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and Kings of Leon performing. People will be eligible to obtain free tickets by getting involved in various social causes through www.globalcitizen.org.

Theater

“Blink Your Eyes: Sekou Sundiata Revisited,” the seven-month citywide retrospective tribute to Sundiata’s life and legacy as a poet, performer and educator activist, is in its final phase with a series of works: “The Circle Unbroken is a Hard Bop”; “The 51st Dream State,” presented as a musical theater piece for radio; and “WeDaPeoples Cabaret,” featuring the original cast. For more information, visit www.mappinternational.org.

In “A Time to Kill,” Rupert Holmes revisits John Grisham’s 1989 legal story on race and justice. In the story, an African-American defendant (John Douglas Thompson) is threatened with capital punishment for the murder of white rapists. He is defended by a white lawyer (Sebastian Arcelus). The show will run Sept. 28 through Dec. 31 at John Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues. For tickets and more information, call 212-239-6200 or visit www.atimetokillonbroadway.com.

“The Trip to Bountiful,” featuring Leon Addison Brown in the role of Ludie, Tony nominee Vanessa Williams and three-time Emmy Award winner and 2013 Tony Award winner Cicely Tyson, has been extended to Oct. 9. It is now playing at the Sondheim Theatre,124 W. 43rd St. For more information or tickets, call 800-901-4092 or visit www.newyorkcitytheatre.com.

“Motown: The Musical,” with book by Berry Gordy Jr. and featuring 2013 Tony nominee Valisia LeKae as Diana Ross, Tony nominee Charl Brown as Smokey Robinson and Brandon Dixon as Berry Gordy. It is now playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W. 46th St. (between Eighth Avenue and Broadway). For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.motownthemusical.com.

“Kinky Boots,” featuring 2013 Tony Award winner Billy Porter, is now playing at the Al Hirschfield Theatre, 302 W. 45th St. For more information, call 866-276-4887 or visit www.broadway.com/shows/kinky-boots.

Music

Joe Sample & The Creole Joe Band will perform at the Blue Note on Sept. 10-16. The New Gary Quartet will stop on its 70th Birthday Tour on Sept. 17-18. Terence Blanchard will perform on Sept. 29-30, and Larry Coryell will perform on Sept. 21-22. The Blue Note is located at 121 W. Third St. For more information, call 212-475-8592 or visit www.bluenote.net.

Jazz at Lincoln Center opens the fall season on Sept.19-21 with the brilliant Ahmad Jamal and Wynton Marsalis plus the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. For more information, visit jalc.org.

The genius jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan will play at the Iridium, (1650 Broadway at 51st Street) on Sept. 12-15. For more information, call 212-582-2121 or visit theiridium.com.